Catholic Integrated Psychotherapy Needs Foundational Research to Progress and Flourish: A Call for an Ambitious Research Agenda

Catholic integrated psychotherapeutic strategies and interventions must be grounded in quality evidence-based research in order to be accepted and to flourish in the mental health marketplace. Although the Catholic Church is 2,000 years old and offers numerous practices, rituals, and traditions that we expect provide spiritual health, healing, and well-being, we often assume that they also provide psychological, behavioral, relational, and even physical health and healing. However, state-of-the-art research using methodological and statistical sophistication is lacking. The purpose of this article is to underscore the need for quality empirical research, including randomized clinical trials to demonstrate the effectiveness of various elements of Catholic engagement with mental health benefits to warrant integrating them into our psychotherapeutic interventions. Additionally, the article offers suggested directions for programs of research in the hope that they will inspire and motivate graduate students and young scholars launching their careers in Catholic integrated psychotherapy.